Grande River Research Articles

Fish fauna of the Upper Grande River basin: checklist and distribution patterns

ABSTRACT The Neotropical region exhibits a remarkable diversity of freshwater fish, with the Upper Grande River in the La Plata basin emerging as a significant yet underexplored hotspot. However, this region is confronted with escalating threats from human activities, such as hydroelectric damming and urbanization, which jeopardize its ichthyofauna. This research conducted a comprehensive inventory of the ichthyofauna in the Upper Grande River, covering diverse environments and sub-basins. Fish sampling at 185 sites revealed over 94 species, indicating a high richness and abundance of migratory fish, as well as the presence of two endangered species. While the study provides valuable insights into fish species richness and distribution, accumulation curves suggest the need for additional sampling efforts. The presence of non-native species, especially in the Aiuruoca and Grande sub-basins, raises conservation concerns. The study underscores the Upper Grande River’s critical role as an area for fish diversity, emphasizing the necessity for ongoing monitoring, conservation efforts, and additional sampling to fully uncover the extent of its ichthyofauna.

The Chuquibamba Landslide Western Cordillera, Peru revisited: New Evidence of a Dry Debris Avalanche

Landslides represent a serious mountain hazard to lives and infrastructure, especially when geological factors such as highly fractured rocks, faulting, steep topography, and weathering combine with seismic triggering factors. Considering the potential of producing outcomes, we study the Chuquibamba rotational landslide that runs along the NW-SE Incapuquio-Challaviento fault system in southernmost Peru. Its elongated U-shaped and polylobate crown scarp is typical of fault-related landslides, and it is carved into the ignimbrites of the Chuquibamba Formation. The geomorphology of the failure and its associated deposit define seventeen coalescing rotational slides and a widespread debris avalanche. This deposit, the main topic of this study, dated at ca. 102 Å} 5 ka using 10Be (from previous works), is confined to the lower parts of the Grande River valley. It is exposed for about 22.5 km from 3,900 to 1,167 masl with its main front located at ~ 10 km upstream of the Majes River. It covers an area of 33.64 km2 with a minimum volume of 0.72 km3. The resulting deposit has an H/L = 0.12, which is typical of dry debris avalanches elsewhere. It consists of block and matrix facies that have different textural and granulometric features. At the time of its emplacement, the moving avalanche overpassed 20 and 12 m-high obstacles, attaining minimum speeds of 20 and 15 m/s at distances of 15 and 20 km from the source, respectively. After the landslide emplacement, the debris avalanche was re-mobilized by intense rains that produced debris flows, as attested by outcrops along the extension of the debris avalanche and beyond its front. All the features of the Chuquibamba dry avalanche, along with modern seismicity and the intersection of active faults in the region, suggest that the failure had a tectonic origin (uplift and movement along faults) instead of deglaciation, extraordinary rain, or extreme rock weathering. Therefore, landslide generation is a potential hazard in this area of Peru.

Integrating Scenario Analysis and Participatory Modeling to Generate Plausible Future Narratives for Water Resources: A Case Study in the Middle Rio Grande River Basin

In addressing complex water management issues, participatory modeling (PM) and scenario analysis (SA) have emerged as pivotal tools for fostering stakeholder engagement, social learning, and collaborative decision-making. This study explores the efficacy of integrating PM and SA within a series of online workshops focused on the Middle Rio Grande River Basin. Data were collected using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, workshop transcripts, and participant outputs from workshop activities. Through these workshops, participants from diverse backgrounds engaged in collaborative scenario-building exercises, interactive discussions, and hands-on simulations using the SWIM 2.0 model, fostering shared learning and deeper insights into regional water challenges. Our findings highlight the importance of group-level activities in enhancing participants’ understanding, engagement, and trust in modeling tools, which can lead to more informed decision-making processes. The workshops demonstrated significant improvements in SA completion and a deeper connection between participants and policy discussions. However, challenges remain in bridging the gap between SA and active decision-making, particularly in contexts where participants do not perceive themselves as decision-makers. This study underscores the potential of participatory approaches to address complex environmental issues, while also identifying areas for further refinement to enhance stakeholder empowerment and tool usability in collaborative settings.

Rowing Against the Tide: The Golden Mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) Leaves DNA Footprints Along Its Invasion Route in South American Rivers

The invasion of the golden mussel has resulted in considerable environmental and socioeconomic alterations, which present a considerable threat to the native biodiversity and sustainability of the region. Understanding the distribution and biological characteristics of this Asian mussel, as well as its interaction with human activities, is of the utmost importance to developing effective strategies for mitigating and preventing its further spread. This study examines the dispersal route and incidence of golden mussels, tracing their movement from initial populations in Argentina to their arrival in the São Francisco River Basin (SFR). The presence of the mussel was confirmed through an integrative assessment that included shell taxonomic analyses and mitochondrial DNA signatures. This assessment identified populations located 7.5 km from the river’s mouth, close to the Atlantic Ocean, in areas such as shrimp farms, artisanal ports, and marinas. The analysis of mitochondrial DNA revealed the presence of South-American-specific and shared ancestral haplotypes in the SFR, Grande River, and Argentina. These findings indicate that intracontinental colonization toward the northeast region of South America originated from Asian populations that entered South America via Argentina. The absence of Asian-specific signatures in the SFR, combined with a geomorphological structure unsuitable for large ports or transoceanic vessels, supports the hypothesis of the intracontinental dispersal of Limnoperna fortunei.

The timing of large drainage rearrangement in South America: A study based on morphological and ecological evidence

This study aims to characterize and determine the timing of a major drainage rearrangement between two vast river basins, each exceeding 600,000 km2: the Paraná and São Francisco basins in South America. We used geomorphological analyses and the computational Black Top Hat (BTH) method to identify river captures. By using freshwater fish distribution and evolution data, we performer biogeographical analyses to assess the fish dispersal patterns. Our results show that in the past the upper Paraná River (known locally as the Grande River) once flowed into what is now the São Francisco River Basin. Biogeographical analysis corroborates this past connection between Grande and São Fracisco rivers This analysis reveals also that between 6 and 5 and 2 million years ago, a significant drainage rearrangement occurred, when the Paraná River Basin captured the Grande River and its tributary (the Sapucaí River). In this process the São Francisco Basin losing 50,000 km2 of its area to the Paraná River Basin.

Evaluation of the hydrogeological response to neotectonics of the Quequén Grande River Watershed using geoelectrical methods

The Quequén Grande River Watershed (Southeast of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) is a strong asymmetrical watershed in the Pampean Plain. It is marked by the stream capture of the Quequén Grande River eastward. The topographic slopes and hydraulic gradients are typically low in this area, with streams and rivers primarily effluent along their courses. This behavior is attributable to the influence of the unconfined and shallow Pampean aquifer, which serves as the region's main source of water supply. In the southwestern limit of this drainage basin, several shallow lakes, disconnected from the surface drainage network and related to an old deflation/accumulation relief, occur over hillock formations. In this area, Paleozoic rocks crop out and constitute the hydrological basement of the aquifer. The bedrock architecture of this formation could explain the stream piracy of the Quequén Grande River eastward and the local geomorphology, where structural lineaments related to neotectonic movements have been reported. However, there is a lack of information related to the hydrological basement in depth, which is needed to understand the surface water dynamics of this drainage basin, linked to the topographic control of the landscape. To fill this gap, a geoelectric model of the hydrological basement is proposed from 37 Vertical Electrical Soundings and 6 Electric Resistivity Tomographies, aiming to contribute to understanding this portion of the Earth's crust. Geoelectrical surveys were performed over 3000 km2 of the southwestern limit of the Quequén Grande River Watershed. Results obtained and field observations suggest the deviation of the Quequén Grande River catchment eastward is caused by the hydrogeological basement structure in depth, in response to neotectonic movements inferred by structural lineaments.

Population dynamics of a desert riverine turtle, Pseudemys gorzugi, at the northern edge of its range

Estimating the key demographic parameters of animal populations can enhance our understanding of system dynamics and assist in developing and improving conservation decision–support models. The Rio Grande cooter Pseudemys gorzugi is a conservation reliant freshwater turtle native to lower Rio Grande River Basin (USA and Mexico), with limited knowledge regarding its natural history and population dynamics. In this study, we used seven years of capture–mark–recapture data from the northern edge of the species' range to estimate survival probabilities, changes in abundance, and the probability of transitioning between different size classes while explicitly accounting for the sampling process. We found relatively high survival probabilities across different strata, with large juveniles exhibiting the highest survival (0.98) and small juveniles the lowest (0.71). However, transition probabilities between strata were low, indicating slow somatic growth rates. Our pattern‐oriented modelling revealed a low overall mean estimate of egg survival (0.024), warranting further empirical confirmation. Our study provides the first comprehensive demographic analysis of P. gorzugi encompassing an array of size and sex classes. Overall, we consider the population of P. gorzugi in the Black River robust, highlighting the importance of this river system to the species' persistence in the northern extent of its range, where the population is isolated from its broader distribution. The demographic estimates and ecological insights provided by our study offer critical data for parameterizing decision‐support models to ensure that P. gorzugi conservation strategies are grounded in the best available science.

Impacts on the quality of surface water in a urban perimeter of the Rio Grande watershed, Brazilian Cerrado.

The aim of this study was to assess the spatiotemporal variation in water quality in the Grande River and the Ondas River, in the city of Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil. Water samples were collected at 11 points along the rivers, and eight physical-chemical parameters (electrical conductivity, pH, alkalinity, apparent and true color, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and biochemical oxygen demand) and three microbiological indicators (heterotrophic bacteria, total and thermotolerant coliforms) were analyzed. Spatiotemporal variation was assessed using the multivariate techniques of principal component analysis/factorial analysis (PCA/FA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The results of the PCA/FA highlighted eight of the eleven parameters as the main ones responsible for the variations in water quality, with the greatest increase in these parameters being observed in the rainy season, especially among the points influenced by sewage discharges and by the influence of the urban area. The CA grouped the results from 11 points into three main groups: group 1 corresponded to points influenced by sewage discharges; group 2 grouped points with mainly urban influences; and group 3 grouped points in rural areas. These groupings showed the negative influence of urbanization and also statistically significant variations between the groups and periods. The most degraded conditions were in group 1, and the least degraded conditions were in group 3. Assessment of the variations between the monitoring periods showed that rainfall had a significant impact on the increase or decrease in the parameters assessed, as a result of surface runoff linked to urbanization and increased river flow.

Evaluating the suitability of large-scale datasets to estimate nitrogen loads and yields across different spatial scales

Decision makers are often confronted with inadequate information to predict nutrient loads and yields in freshwater ecosystems at large spatial scales. We evaluate the potential of using data mapped at large spatial scales (regional to global) and often coarse resolution to predict nitrogen yields at varying smaller scales (e.g., at the catchment and stream reach level). We applied the SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) model in three regions: the Upper Midwest part of the United States, New Zealand, and the Grande River Basin in southeastern Brazil. For each region, we compared predictions of nitrogen delivery between models developed using novel large-scale datasets and those developed using local-scale datasets. Large-scale models tended to underperform the local-scale models in poorly monitored areas. Despite this, large-scale models are well suited to generate hypotheses about relative effects of different nutrient source categories (point and urban, agricultural, native vegetation) and to identify knowledge gaps across spatial scales when data are scarce. Regardless of the spatial resolution of the predictors used in the models, a representative network of water quality monitoring stations is key to improve the performance of large-scale models used to estimate loads and yields. We discuss avenues of research to understand how this large-scale modelling approach can improve decision making for managing catchments at local scales, particularly in data poor regions.

Bisecting the type series of Leporinus paranensis Garavello and Britski, 1987 (Characiformes, Anostomidae)

The type series of Leporinus paranensis includes two distinct species, one of which is herein described as new. Leporinus paranensis is redescribed based on its holotype, two paratypes, and additional specimens recently sampled in tributaries of the Grande river, in the north portion of the upper Paraná basin in Brazil. A new species of Leporinus is described based on specimens collected in all major tributaries of the upper Paraná basin in Brazil, and tributaries of the Paraná river in Paraguay. Both species share the presence of three unicuspid teeth on the premaxillary and four on dentary, terminal mouth and three dark midlateral blotches on the body. The new species is distinguished from L. paranensis based on the number of scale series around the caudal peduncle (12 vs. 16). The variation in the body shape of both species were compared through a Principal Component Analysis and showed that they share a similar body shape. Species delimitation analyses using DNA Barcode were applied to compare samples of the new species to congeners and corroborated the uniqueness of the new species. In addition, molecular data revealed that L. bahiensis, L. octofasciatus, and L. taeniatus are possibly closely related to the new species. The conservation status of L. paranensis and the new species are discussed using the IUCN criteria.

Using 3H as a tracer to study streamflow components in large plain catchments on temperate climate

Abstract3H enters the hydrologic cycle after oxidizing in the 3H1HO molecule and it constitutes a very useful tracer for hydrological studies. One of these applications is streamflow component separation, which provides useful information to understand the hydrological cycle. This application is based on the fact that the contents in precipitation (runoff) tend to be markedly higher than those in groundwater (baseflow) because of decreasing activity in the last as a consequence of radioactive decay. The main objective of this paper is to test 3H for hydrograph separation in sub‐tropical South America, where it is favoured by high values in precipitation. The catchment of the Quequén Grande River, in Argentina, was selected. Total flow in surface water is a mixing between the baseflow and the event flow portion; the separation was done in three sections of the drainage network, and the proportion of baseflow were 36%, 88% and 47%.

Community composition of black flies during and after the 2020 vesicular stomatitis virus outbreak in Southern New Mexico, USA

BackgroundVesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), a vector-borne pathogen of livestock, emerges periodically in the western US. In New Mexico (NM), US, most cases occur close to the Rio Grande River, implicating black flies (Simulium spp.) as a possible vector. In 2020, VS cases were reported in NM from April to May, although total black fly abundance remained high until September. We investigated the hypothesis that transience of local VSV transmission results from transient abundance of key, competent black fly species. Additionally, we investigated whether irrigation canals in southern NM support a different community of black flies than the main river. Lastly, to gain insight into the source of local black flies, in 2023 we collected black fly larvae prior to the release of water into the Rio Grande River channel.MethodsWe randomly sub-sampled adult black flies collected along the Rio Grande during and after the 2020 VSV outbreak. We also collected black fly adults along the river in 2021 and 2022 and at southern NM farms and irrigation canals in 2022. Black fly larvae were collected from dams in the area in 2023. All collections were counted, and individual specimens were subjected to molecular barcoding for species identification.ResultsDNA barcoding of adult black flies detected four species in 2020: Simulium meridionale (N = 158), S. mediovittatum (N = 83), S. robynae (N = 26) and S. griseum/notatum (N = 1). Simulium robynae was only detected during the VSV outbreak period, S. meridionale showed higher relative abundance, but lower absolute abundance, during the outbreak than post-outbreak period, and S. mediovittatum was rare during the outbreak period but predominated later in the summer. In 2022, relative abundance of black fly species did not differ significantly between the Rio Grande sites and farm and irrigation canals. Intriguingly, 63 larval black flies comprised 56% Simulium vittatum, 43% S. argus and 1% S. encisoi species that were either extremely rare or not detected in previous adult collections.ConclusionsOur results suggest that S. robynae and S. meridionale could be shaping patterns of VSV transmission in southern NM. Thus, field studies of the source of these species as well as vector competence studies are warranted.Graphical

Patterns of genetic divergence in the Rio Grande cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi), a riverine turtle inhabiting an arid and anthropogenically modified system.

The lower Rio Grande and Pecos River of the southwest United States have been heavily modified by human activities, profoundly impacting the integrity of their aquatic wildlife. In this context, we focused our study on the population genomics of the Rio Grande Cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi), a freshwater turtle of increasing conservation concern, residing in these two rivers and their tributaries. The genetic data revealed two distinct populations: one in the Pecos and Black Rivers of New Mexico and another in the Rio Grande and Devils River of Texas, with admixed individuals identified at the confluence of the Rio Grande and Pecos River. In addition to having a smaller geographic range, we found lower observed heterozygosity, reduced nucleotide diversity, and a smaller effective population size (Ne) in New Mexico population. Our results depict a significant isolation-by-distance pattern across their distribution, with migration being notably infrequent at river confluences. These findings are pivotal for future conservation and restoration strategies, emphasizing the need to recognize the unique needs of each population.

Lineagona, a new millipede genus (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida, Cleidogonidae) from Texas, USA, and Nuevo Len, Mxico.

Lineagona n. gen., is established for two species from either side of the Rio Grande River in Texas and Mxico. Lineagona culmenicola n. sp., is from the vicinity of Monterrey, Nueva Leon, Mxico, and L. chisosi (Loomis, 1963) n. comb. ex Cleidogona Cook, in Cook & Collins 1895 is from Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA. A key to the genera of Cleidogonidae is provided and gonopod terminology in Cleidogonidae is updated.

Analysis of the correlation between land use and surface runoff in a Brazilian savanna basin

– Since the 1980s, the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) has been suppressed to make space for agricultural production, mainly soybean, corn, and cotton. This savanna strategically contains important South American river sources – Paraná, Paraguai, São Francisco, Araguaia, Tocantins, and tributaries of the Amazon River. Land use and cover are conditioning factors in generating the hydrological cycle components, notably surface runoff. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate spatial and temporal land use changes and their correlations with surface runoff in the Grande River basin. The study area is a relevant São Francisco River sub-basin, covering part of the Urucuia Aquifer System, encompassing the dry forest and savanna biomes. The inputs included landscape ecology metrics, land use time series from 1990 to 2020, and water flow values near the basin outlet. The landscape metrics were modeled with the R software landscapemetrics package. Aside from the time series trend, the correlation between land use, land cover, and flow variations was also evaluated through statistical tests – Mann-Kendall, Sen's slope, Pittitt, and rho Spearman. Changes were observed in areas covered by forest, savanna, and grassland formations. The areas presented reduction from 22,121 km2, 27,889 km2, and 15,366 km2 to 9916 km2, 27,870 km2, and 5666 km2, respectively. On the other hand, there was an increase, especially in rainfed agriculture (from 5241 km2 to 20,856 km2) and, more recently (2005), in irrigated agriculture (from 94 km2 to 1362 km2). Results show a reduction in the fragments of native vegetation (from 2,235 km2 to 1794 km2) and an increase in the fragments of agricultural activities (from 678 km2 to 1081 km2). For most classes, the change point was identified as the year 2005. A strong direct correlation was observed between the average and minimum flows (Q90) with forest and grassland formations. In comparison, an inverse correlation was noticed between pasture, urban infrastructure, rainfed agriculture, and irrigated agriculture classes.

Aggressive periodontitis in southwestern American Indian adolescents.

This study determined the prevalence of aggressive (molar-incisor pattern) (Ag/MI) periodontitis and assessed the associated subgingival bacterial-herpesvirus microbiota in Pueblo Indian adolescents in the southwestern United States. The study included 240 Pueblo Indian adolescents, aged 13-20years old, residing in three Rio Grande River villages in New Mexico and the Hopi Pueblo reservation in Arizona. Adolescents with Ag/MI periodontitis or periodontal health provided subgingival samples for culture of bacterial pathogens and for polymerase chain reaction detection of periodontal herpesviruses. Ag/MI periodontitis was detected in 22 (9.2%) Pueblo Indian adolescents, with 21 exhibiting a localized molar-incisor breakdown pattern. Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and other red/orange complex bacterial pathogens predominated in Ag/MI periodontitis, whereas periodontal health yielded mainly viridans streptococci and Actinomyces species. Periodontal herpesviruses demonstrated a 3.5 odds ratio relationship with Ag/MI periodontitis. The only adolescent with generalized Ag/MI periodontitis harbored viral co-infection by cytomegalovirus plus Epstein-Barr virus Type 1, in addition to A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. gingivalis, and several other periodontopathic bacteria. Pueblo Indian adolescents showed an unusually high prevalence of early-age Ag/MI periodontitis predominated by periodontopathic bacteria and herpesviruses suspected to be major etiologic agents of the disease.

Ichthyofaunistic composition of Veadinho Brook, tributary of Lower Rio Grande River microbasin, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Anthropic actions can have negative effects on aquatic communities, such as changes in both the environment and in the composition of local communities. The aim of the current study is to investigate the ichthyofaunistic composition in a lower Rio Grande River tributary. Four regions distributed between two waterfalls were sampled. To do so, 50-minute samplings were carried out at each point, based on using 1.0 x 0.50-m sieves with 3-mm adjacent nodes. Subsequently, diversity indices (richness, abundance, dominance, Shannon-Winner, Simpson and Equitability parameters) were calculated in PAST® software for data analysis purposes. Shapiro-Wilker test was used to analyze data normality, whereas ANOVA test was adopted to analyze significant differences. In total, 1.926 individuals distributed among four orders, four families and six species were sampled. Cyprinodontiformes (49.01%) was the most abundant fish order; it was followed by Characiformes (48.75%), Cichliformes (1.30%) and Siluriformes (0.93%). Interpretive analyses did not indicate significant differences in this parameter, likely due to environmental homogeneity in the sampled regions. Thus, the herein investigated ichthyoaunistic composition may be linked to fish’s adaptive plasticity.

A kinetic characterization of the gill V(H+)-ATPase from two hololimnetic populations of the Amazon River shrimp Macrobrachium amazonicum.

This investigation examines the kinetic characteristics and effect of acclimation to a brackish medium (21 ‰S) on gill V(H+)-ATPase activity in two hololimnetic populations of M. amazonicum. We also investigate the cellular immunolocalization of the enzyme. Immunofluorescence findings demonstrate that the V(H+)-ATPase c-subunit is distributed in the apical pillar cells of shrimps in fresh water but is absent after acclimation to 21 ‰S for 10 days. V(H+)-ATPase activity from the Tietê River population is ≈50% greater than the Grande River population, comparable to a wild population from the Santa Elisa Reservoir, but is 2-fold less than in cultivated shrimps. V(H+)-ATPase activity in the Tietê and the Grande River shrimps is abolished after 21 ‰S acclimation. The apparent affinities of the V(H+)-ATPase for ATP (0.27 ± 0.04 and 0.16 ± 0.03 mmol L-1, respectively) and Mg2+ (0.28 ± 0.05 and 0.14 ± 0.02 mmol L-1, respectively) are similar in both populations. The absence of V(H+)-ATPase activity in salinity-acclimated shrimps and its apical distribution in shrimps in fresh water underpins the importance of the crustacean V(H+)-ATPase for ion uptake in fresh water.

Water security threats and solutions in the Grande River basin – One of the Brazilian agricultural frontiers

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of sustainable agricultural management solutions at a farm level to mitigate water security threats in one of Brazil's agricultural frontiers – the Grande River basin. The paper addresses future challenges to water security in the river basin and explores how effective solutions are at a farm level to mitigate current and future water security threats at a basin scale. Based on the assessment of multiple drivers, higher future water security threats in the region are predicted in 2040 due to climate change, land use modification and corresponding changes in water use. The paper finds that the Formosa do Rio Preto region, which is not currently water-insecure, may turn into a water security hotspot area by 2040. The effective response index for water security (ERI-WS), based on the qualitative assessment of the impact at the farm scale, is used to evaluate the effectiveness of current sustainable management practices in addressing water security challenges. The water security dimensions approach of the ERI-WS shows that >50 % of the sites have technologies that can have positive impacts on the “Drinking water and human well-being”, “Economic activities and development”, “Ecosystem” and the “Resilience” dimensions. The paper finds that 66 % of the farms have efficient soil, land, and water management solutions (ERI-WS > 0.5) to address current and future water security issues. These solutions range from sustainable grazing land management to integrated plant nutrition management to enhanced soil productivity. However, 15 % of the farms located in vulnerable areas of the municipalities of São Desidério, Barreiras and Catolândia have lower effectiveness. Results also indicate that 36 % of the sites, distributed in 8 municipalities, employ nature-based solutions to mitigate water security threats, mainly those related to water quality conditions in downstream areas, indicating the relevance of these practices in the region.

Genomic Analysis of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Strains Isolated in Tamaulipas, Mexico.

The global spread of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) is a major public health concern. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are the main drivers of this spread by horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Escherichia coli is widespread in various environments and serves as an indicator for monitoring antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the whole genome of multidrug-resistant E. coli strains isolated from human clinical, animal, and environmental sources. Four E. coli strains previously isolated from human urine (n = 2), retail meat (n = 1), and water from the Rio Grande River (n = 1) collected in northern Tamaulipas, Mexico, were analyzed. E. coli strains were evaluated for antimicrobial susceptibility, followed by whole genome sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. Several ARGs were detected, including blaCTX-M-15, blaOXA-1, blaTEM-1B, blaCMY-2, qnrB, catB3, sul2, and sul3. Additionally, plasmid replicons (IncFIA, IncFIB, IncFII, IncY, IncR, and Col) and intact prophages were also found. Insertion sequences (ISs) were structurally linked with resistance and virulence genes. Finally, these findings indicate that E. coli strains have a large repertoire of resistance determinants, highlighting a high pathogenic potential and the need to monitor them.